I was going to have Roger build me a custom bass like this but we would be talking around $3,800 - $4,000.

I have a call into Nordstrand about the MM5.3 pickup. It says on the website that their wide spacing version will fit Laklands and other wide spaced basses. However, it doesn't actually say what the spacing is.

Laklands are 19mm/0.75" at the bridge just like Sadowsky's. If I hear from Nordstrand that it is 19mm/0.75" then I am getting that pickup (based on recommendations from people here - better be good). That will only cost me $135.

I also talked to the guy who has been doing work on my basses for years, Eric Chaz, about routing it, wiring it up, etc. Eric is an authorized Sadowsky repair shop. He will charge me $100 total to do the whole thing.

So, my thought is that I am going to order a Metro MV5 (not sure on color yet) and have Eric install it. That and adding the Vintage Tone Control this thing will cost me only $2,585 Far less than a custom NYC (though all of Roger's stuff is worth every penny!)

I am already planning on buying 3 - 4 Metro's over the next year so I will just experiment with one of them with this P/U configuration.

Regarding your pickup wiring: Take this with a grain of salt, as its based on a Modulus Flea 4 that I put a Nordstrnad MM4.2 in. With that pickup I would typically run the EQ flat, or put it in passive mode. From there, I would simply toggle it between series and parallel and that would provide a very noticeable amount of tonal variation. I would definitely suggest using your second wiring method for the MM as I think the results would be more dramatic and versatile.

Why not have Valenti build you one? And I second the Nordstrand pickup suggestion - they sound very good and respond well.

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+1.... Or another luthier.... I never could understand ordering a bass and then changing it. There are so many great luthiers out there, and also so many stock basses that would get you close to what you want from the start.

I used to play two Laklands...55-02 and 55-94... and was never a huge fan of the front coil selector. For a time I thought about having it changed to series-single-parallel, I think this would be your best bet.

Where are you planning on placing the MM pickup: the Metro's jazz pup lines up with the front coil, back coil, or somewhere in the middle?

Regarding your pickup wiring: Take this with a grain of salt, as its based on a Modulus Flea 4 that I put a Nordstrnad MM4.2 in. With that pickup I would typically run the EQ flat, or put it in passive mode. From there, I would simply toggle it between series and parallel and that would provide a very noticeable amount of tonal variation. I would definitely suggest using your second wiring method for the MM as I think the results would be more dramatic and versatile.

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I agree. In the first option the coils are so close together that the difference is neglibable. That is something I noticed when I played the Lakland's.

I used to play two Laklands...55-02 and 55-94... and was never a huge fan of the front coil selector. For a time I thought about having it changed to series-single-parallel, I think this would be your best bet.

Where are you planning on placing the MM pickup: the Metro's jazz pup lines up with the front coil, back coil, or somewhere in the middle?

Click to expand...

Again, I am leaing toward option #2 on the wiring as that is what I had in my Warwicks and it was very versatile.

I will probably (99% sure) have the front coil line up exactly where the rear Sadowsky Jazz pickup is. That way I still get that Jazz tone in that MM single coil mode. It'll be a little more agressive but it will sound like a jazz setup. My Wariwcks did except for the Wenge neck which really darened the tone.

I was going to have Roger build me a custom bass like this but we would be talking around $3,800 - $4,000.

I have a call into Nordstrand about the MM5.3 pickup. It says on the website that their wide spacing version will fit Laklands and other wide spaced basses. However, it doesn't actually say what the spacing is.

Laklands are 19mm/0.75" at the bridge just like Sadowsky's. If I hear from Nordstrand that it is 19mm/0.75" then I am getting that pickup (based on recommendations from people here - better be good). That will only cost me $135.

I also talked to the guy who has been doing work on my basses for years, Eric Chaz, about routing it, wiring it up, etc. Eric is an authorized Sadowsky repair shop. He will charge me $100 total to do the whole thing.

So, my thought is that I am going to order a Metro MV5 (not sure on color yet) and have Eric install it. That and adding the Vintage Tone Control this thing will cost me only $2,585 Far less than a custom NYC (though all of Roger's stuff is worth every penny!)

I am already planning on buying 3 - 4 Metro's over the next year so I will just experiment with one of them with this P/U configuration.

why not see if Roger or Nino can shave or build you a neck for the Lakeland ? but I truly think if you had the Metro with the soapbar pups,this would be all the bass you would need,but I understand getting what you want especially when you're willing to spend in access of $4000 grand !.